Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACRGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to containers, and more
particularly, to a thin-walled container having an
intermediate sidewall formed from a plurality of flattened
segments for achieving a relatively increased top loading
strength at a reduced weight.
The overall shape of the main body portion of most
containers is substantially cylindrical wherein the cross-
section of the main body portion is substantially circular.
Like most items of manufacture, costs for manufacturing
containers increase as the amount of material used is
increased. Accordingly, the less material that is used to
manufacture a container, the less costly the final product.
Technological advances in molding processes such as blow
molding and injection molding have made it possible to mold
containers and other objects such that they have very thin
walls. However, in typical cases, as the thickness of the
walls decreases so does the strength of the container, and
particularly, the top loading strength. To combat loss of
strength in thin-walled containers, different and stronger
materials may be used to form the container. Regardless of
the material, however, as material use is reduced to form
even thinner containers from the stronger materials, the
strength of the classic circular cylindrically walled
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containers, in particular the top loading strength thereof,
is compromised.
There exists, therefore, a need for a container having
thin walls and improved top loading strength.
8UMMARY OF TH~ l~.v~L.,lON
The primary object of this invention is to provide a
thinned walled container having excellent strength
characteristics, particularly with respect to top loading.
Another object of this invention is to provide a
relatively lighter container having at least comparable
physical properties to similar containers using more
material and weighing more.
Another object of this invention is to provide a
thinned walled container having an intermediate sidewall
portion which is formed from a plurality of flattened
segments, which segments provide an increase in top loading
strength over the typical circular cross-section and
cylindrically shaped container.
And still another object of this invention is to
provide a thinned walled container including a neck portion,
a shoulder portion, an intermediate sidewall portion and a
base portion, wherein the intermediate sidewall portion
defines a major portion of a volume for holding a content
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and which is formed from a plurality of joined flattened
segments.
And yet another object of this invention is to provide
a container having a neck portion, a shoulder portion, an
intermediate sidewall portion and a base portion, wherein
the intermediate sidewall portion has an outermost diameter
less than that of the outermost diameter of both the
shoulder portion and base portion, and wherein the
intermediate sidewall portion is formed from a plurality of
flattened segments.
And still another object of this invention is to
provide a container which has an improved resistance to
denting.
And yet another object of this invention is to provide
a container which has an intermediate wall portion formed
from a plurality of segments and requires relatively less
material to manufacture while maintaining its toploading
strength and having improved resistance to denting.
The foregoing objects and advantages are achieved by
the container of the present invention which includes a neck
portion, a shoulder portion, an intermediate sidewall
portion and a base portion. The neck portion defines an
opening. The shoulder portion is continuous with the neck
portion. The intermediate sidewall portion is continuous
with the shoulder portion. The intermediate sidewall
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portion defines a major portion of a volume for holding a
content and is comprised of at least fourteen distinct and
vertically extending segments. The segments are joined to
form the intermediate sidewall portion and extend
substantially for the length thereof. The base portion is
continuous with the intermediate sidewall portion for
supporting the container.
In one embodiment, the shoulder portion, base portion
and intermediate sidewall portion each have an outermost
diameter and the outermost diameter of the intermediate
sidewall portion is smaller than the outermost diameter of
the shoulder portion and the base portion. The segments are
preferably flattened or curved having a lengthwise dimension
extending in the longitudinal direction of the container.
The flattened or curved segments preferably have
longitudinally extending sides and the sides of each of the
flattened or curved segments also comprise the sides of
another of the flattened or curved segments.
The details of the present invention are set out in the
following description and drawings wherein like reference
characters depict like elements.
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95-479
BRIEF DE8CRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a container in
accordance with the principals of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG.
l;
FIG. 2A is an enlarged view of area 2A circled in FIG.
2;
FIG. 3 is an elevational view of an alternative
embodiment of a container in accordance with the principals
of the present invention;
FIG. 4 ia a sectional view taken through line 4-4 of
FIG. 3; and
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of another alternative
embodiment of the container of the present invention.
DBTAILED DBSCRIPTION
Referring now to the drawings in detail there is shown
in FIG. 1 an elevational view of the container of the
present invention, designated generally as 10. Container 10
includes neck portion 12, shoulder portion 14, intermediate
sidewall portion 16 and base portion 18.
Neck portion 12 is preferably substantially cylindrical
in shape forming an opening 20 for flow of the contents of
container 10. Neck portion 12 has a threaded portion 22 on
the external surface thereof for engagement with a closure
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(not shown) for sealing in content gases and maintaining
content freshness. Neck portion 12 also includes a circular
flange 24 positioned below threaded portion 22 which may be
used for gripping or holding the container. Neck portion 12
is continuous with shoulder portion 14.
Shoulder portion 14 extends from the lower end 26 of
neck portion 12 and outwardly and downwardly therefrom,
having a substantially hemispherical shape. Accordingly,
container 10 preferably tapers inwardly from the bottom end
28 of shoulder portion 14 to the lower end 26 of neck
portion 12. Shoulder portion 14 preferably has a contoured
surface for ornamental purposes and for facilitating
improved gripping of the container. The contoured surface
is preferably a plurality of raised swirls 30 extending from
lower end 26 of neck portion 12 to bottom end 28 of shoulder
portion 14, although the design is not critical and other
designs may be used for the same purposes. At bottom end
28, shoulder portion 14 has an outermost diameter A. Bottom
end 28 of shoulder portion 14 curves slightly inwardly and
is continuous with intermediate sidewall portion 16, as
shown in FIG. 1.
Intermediate sidewall portion 16 is substantially
polygonal in cross-section and tubular in shape, as shown in
FIGs. 2 and 2A, estimating closely a circular cylindrical
shape, extending from bottom end 28 of shoulder portion 14
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downwardly to base portion 18. Intermediate sidewall
portion 16 has an outermost diameter B which is preferably
less than the outermost diameter A of shoulder portion 14.
Accordingly, a step 32, as shown in FIG. 1, is formed
between shoulder portion 14 and intermediate sidewall
portion 16.
Intermediate sidewall portion 16 is preferably formed
from a plurality of flattened segments 34. In a preferred
embodiment, at least fourteen or more flattened segments 34,
and in another embodiment, thirty flattened segments 34, are
joined to form the entire intermediate sidewall portion 16,
as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 and the
enlarged view thereof in FIG. 2A. The flattened segments 34
preferably extend for at least a substantial portion of
intermediate sidewall portion 16. That is, each flattened
segment 34 shares its sides with another flattened segment
34 for the entire circumference of intermediate sidewall
portion 16, thereby forming the cross-section shown.
Accordingly, a polygonal cross-section is shown in the
preferred embodiment with a plurality of flattened segments
having substantially equal widths. In the preferred
embodiment shown, the flattened segments are all
substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of container
10 and thus substantially parallel in the longitudinal
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direction to each other. The flattened segments provide for
an increased top loading strength of container 10.
The bottoms of flattened segments 34 are continual with
top end 36 of base portion 18. Outermost diameter B of
intermediate sidewall portion 16 is preferably less than the
outermost diameter C of base portion 18 thereby forming a
step 38 between intermediate sidewall portion 16 and base
portion 18.
Steps 32 and 38 are shown in the figures in a manner to
clearly illustrate the stepped arrangement. However, the
figures are not intended to limit the size of the steps to
the proportions shown. That is, the steps may be much
smaller in proportion to the container than shown. In fact,
with specific reference to step 32, it may be preferable to
form this step as small as possible so as to further
increase top loading strength. Step 38 may or may not be
formed equally as small.
Base portion 18 is preferably substantially cup-shaped
extending slightly outward from the bottom of intermediate
sidewall portion 16, downward and preferably tapered
slightly inward to bottom end 40. Base portion 18 is
preferably formed through molding techniques known in the
art to have a plurality of feet separated by indents 42, as
shown in FIG. 1 and an axially extending recess 44 in the
bottom thereof, as shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 1.
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This footed base portion support structure provides
additional stabilization to container 10.
Container 10 is preferably formed from a thin layer of
polyethylene terephthalate (PET) although other materials
may be used. Due to the added structural rigidity provided
by the plurality of flattened segments 34, a layer of PET
can be used to form container 10 which is thinner than
layers currently known in the art. That is, by using
flattened segments 34, the top loading strength of container
10 is increased as compared to a container having an
intermediate sidewall body portion with a circular cross-
section and cylindrical shape and formed from the same
thickness of PET. A considerable advantage is therefore
provided by the container of the present invention in that
less material can be used, thereby saving manufacturing
costs, while still achieving equal or better top loading
structural rigidity than containers having the same
thickness but not formed from a plurality of flattened
segments 34.
Alternatively, a less expensive material can be used in
manufacturing the container of the present invention. That
is, due to the segmented design, a cheaper material having
less desirable physical properties can be used at a
thickness comparable to currently known containers using
more expensive materials. Also due to the structural
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design, a container formed as disclosed from the less
expensive material will have comparable strength and other
physical properties in comparison to the currently
available, more expensive containers.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, as an alternative to the
preferred embodiment is shown as container 100. Container
100 is preferably such that intermediate sidewall portion
116 comprised of flattened segments 134 is substantially
directly continuous with the outermost diameter A of
shoulder portion 114 and the outermost diameter C of base
portion 118, wherein diameter A substantially equals
diameter B and diameter C.
Referring to FIG. 5, another cross-section through
container 10 of FIG. 1 is provided wherein another
embodiment is shown. While the cross-section is different,
the elevational view remains substantially the same and
therefore FIG. 1 is used as the elevational view for this
embodiment as well. Instead of the flattened segments, a
plurality of curved segments 234 are used and joined
together to form the circumference of intermediate sidewall
portion 216. The details discussed with reference to the
main body and that shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 are preferably
used with the curved segments and are hereby incorporated.
The same advantages disclosed herein apply to the container
formed from the segments of this embodiment
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In another alternative embodiment of the invention (not
shown), container 10 may be formed such that flattened
segments 34 or curved segments 234 extend into shoulder
portion 14 or base portion 18 or form the entirety of
shoulder portion 14 and base portion 18, as well as forming
intermediate sidewall portion 16.
Furthermore, another embodiment of the container of the
present invention (not shown) may also include
circumferentially spaced flattened segments or curved
segments for forming the circumference of container 10.
That is, a plurality of flattened segments 34 or curved
segments 234 are used but are spaced from and joined with
other flattened segments via arc segments further forming
the circumference of intermediate sidewall portion 16.
Containers 10 and 110 are used as any other container.
A content 46 is placed into the container and the container
is sealed with a closure (not shown). Upon removing the
closure, the content 46 can be emptied from container 10.
Because of flattened segments 34, container lo is able to
withstand greater top loads in comparison to existing
containers of similar wall thickness so that stacking of the
containers is permitted and non-damaging during
transportation of the same.
The primary advantage of this invention is that a
thinned-walled container is provided having excellent
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strength characteristics, particularly during top loading.
Another advantage of this invention is that a relatively
lighter container is provided having at least comparable
physical properties to similar containers using more
material and weighing more. Another advantage of this
invention is that a thinned-wall container is provided
having an intermediate sidewall portion which is formed from
a plurality of joined flattened segments, which segments
provide an increase in top loading strength over the typical
circular and cylindrically container of the same wall
thickness. And still another advantage of this invention is
that a thin-walled container is provided having a neck
portion, a shoulder portion, an intermediate sidewall
portion and a base portion, wherein the intermediate
sidewall portion defines a major portion of a volume for
holding a content, which intermediate sidewall portion is
formed from a plurality of joined flattened segments. And
still another advantage of this invention is that a
container is provided having a neck portion, a shoulder
portion, an intermediate sidewall portion and a base
portion, wherein the intermediate sidewall portion has an
outermost diameter less than that of the outermost diameter
of both the shoulder portion and base portion, and wherein
the intermediate sidewall portion is formed from a plurality
of flattened segments. And still another advantage object
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of this invention is that a container is provided which has
an improved resistance to denting. And yet another
advantage of this invention is that a container is provided
having an intermediate wall portion formed from a plurality
of segments which requires relatively less material to
manufacture while maintaining its toploading strength and
having improved resistance to denting.
It is to be understood that the invention is not
limited to the illustrations described and shown herein,
which are deemed to be merely illustrative of the best modes
of carrying out the invention, and which are susceptible of
modification of form, size, arrangement of parts and details
of operation. The invention rather is intended to encompass
all such modifications which are within its spirit and scope
as defined by the claims.
